Francis Asbury was born in England, and at age 16 began to preach, speaking up to five times per week, walking several miles to get to each appointment. Meanwhile, help was needed desperately in America. So in 1771 when John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement challenged, “Who will go?” 26-year-old Asbury stepped forward. [...]
Next to the Bible, the book that has shaped my life more than any other is “Revival Lectures” by Charles Finney. He said that revival was not a miracle, but it is the result of the right use of the appropriate means: “It is impossible for us to say that there is not as direct [...]
The roots of virtually every social reform movement of the 1800s in America can be traced to Charles Finney’s revival meetings. Charles G. Finney was a former lawyer whose early ministry took place in western New York State. His preaching sometimes resulted in entire towns being converted. He attacked every vice known to society. Prayer [...]
In September 1857 Jeremiah Lanphier started a businessmen’s prayer meeting in Manhattan. By March of 1858, every church and public hall in downtown New York was filled with praying businessmen. A famous editor sent a reporter with a horse and buggy racing around to the prayer meetings to see how many men were praying. In [...]
In 1739, John and Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, and about 60 others, many students from Oxford University, held a love feast in London. Prayer continued until three in the morning, and they reported, “The power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy.” They believed that God was about [...]
From start to finish, we must live our lives in God’s grace. Sometimes people say of someone who hurt them, “He really hurt my feelings.” If we allow our hurt feelings to control our lives, we are not living in the realm of God’s grace. Who says everyone should be nice to us? If we [...]
When we understand how grace works in our lives, we will find ourselves living with a new freedom in our daily relationship with Jesus. Every good thing in our lives is a result of the grace of God. You and I really do not deserve anything. If you have good health today, it is because [...]
Years ago, I received a revelation about the grace of God that has literally revolutionized my life. Although I was in love with Jesus, I was still living in a mental prison. It seemed like some things would never change. Then one day someone vividly described the “grace of God” to me in a way [...]
When I was young in the Lord, I thought God owed me. “Look, God,” I remember thinking, “I’ve given you my life. I’ve given you everything. I’ve given you my family. It all belongs to you.” I was working sixty hours on a job in addition to being involved with a full-time youth ministry. I [...]
During the first few months after I gave my life totally to Christ, I sometimes felt like I wasn’t a Christian. Sometimes I felt close to God and the next time, He seemed a million miles away. I grew depressed and defeated because I thought my feelings reflected my spiritual condition. Then, a wise counselor [...]